Both are FCA-regulated and FSCS-protected. The real difference is fees, account types and how each platform feels to use. Verified against each provider’s published charges.
Fees verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Investors who want funds and shares on one platform without paying Hargreaves Lansdown prices.
Index fund investors who want the lowest possible total cost and are comfortable with a newer app.
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Tick what you need above and we'll tell you which of the two covers it.
Account availability verified July 2026. Capital at risk. Information, not financial advice.
Reviewers repeatedly mention that the platform is easy to use and communication is clear. AJ Bell has been Which? Recommended for eight years running.
Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals.
Read AJ Bell reviews on TrustpilotEarly adopters praise the zero fees and responsive founding team; roughly 84% of reviews are five stars.
The review base is small and some users want more account types and a web version.
Read Prosper reviews on Trustpilot| Fee | AJ Bell | Prosper |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | 0.25% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £3.50/month in an ISA and £10/month in a SIPP | £0 |
| Share dealing | £5.00 per trade | Not applicable (funds and ETFs) |
| Fund dealing | £1.50 per trade | Free |
| FX fee | 0.75% on the first £10k, tiered lower above | None on GBP fund classes |
| Stocks & Shares ISA | Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge | Free |
| SIPP | Platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares | Free |
| Withdrawals | Free | Free |
| Minimum to start | £25/month or £500 lump sum | No minimum |
AJ Bell sits in the sweet spot between cheap app-only brokers and expensive full-service platforms. You get funds, shares, ETFs, a well-regarded SIPP and a Lifetime ISA, with caps that keep costs sensible for share investors.
It suits people who want one account for everything, particularly ETF investors who benefit from the £3.50 monthly cap in an ISA. Fund-heavy portfolios above six figures should compare the 0.25% fee against a flat-fee platform like Interactive Investor.
Prosper's pitch is the cheapest total cost of ownership in the UK: no platform fee, no dealing fees, and refunded fund fees on a list of mainstream index funds. For a straightforward global tracker in an ISA or SIPP, the all-in cost really can be zero.
The counterweight is maturity. It is a young platform with a small (if very positive) review base and no individual shares. If that trade-off suits you, the price is unbeatable.
It depends on what you hold and how often you trade. AJ Bell's platform fee is 0.25% on funds up to £250k (tiered lower above); shares capped at £3.50/month in an ISA and £10/month in a SIPP, against £0 at Prosper. On dealing, AJ Bell charges £5.00 per trade for shares and £1.50 per trade for funds, while Prosper charges not applicable (funds and ETFs) for shares and free for funds. Fees verified July 2026.
AJ Bell is best for investors who want funds and shares on one platform without paying Hargreaves Lansdown prices. Prosper is best for index fund investors who want the lowest possible total cost and are comfortable with a newer app. Both are FCA regulated and covered by the FSCS.
On AJ Bell's ISA: Platform fee applies, no separate ISA charge. On Prosper's ISA: Free. Prosper offers a flexible ISA and AJ Bell does not. Minimums are £25/month or £500 lump sum at AJ Bell and No minimum at Prosper.
AJ Bell offers a SIPP (platform fee applies, capped at £120/year for shares). Prosper offers a SIPP (free).
AJ Bell scores 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot (Excellent) from around 14,000 reviews. Prosper scores 4.6 out of 5 (Excellent) from around 300 reviews. Occasional gripes about transfer times and the dealing charge compared with app-only rivals. The review base is small and some users want more account types and a web version.
Yes. UK platforms accept ISA and SIPP transfers in, and you start the transfer with the receiving provider rather than the one you are leaving. AJ Bell charges free on withdrawals and Prosper charges free. Transfer as cash and you are out of the market while it settles; transfer in specie and you keep your holdings but it takes longer.
AJ Bell or Prosper, the account is the easy part. What decides when you can retire is how much goes in and for how long. Delphina works that out from what you already hold and what you pay in each month.
Free to check. No card required. Takes about two minutes.